Gel Jose

What’s new at Geonbae, Tomas Morato

Unli Korean BBQ joints abound in the metro. So much so that one may be challenged in distinguishing one resto’s offerings from another’s.

Well, Geonbae Modern Korean Bar & Grill will make sure that you remember it well.

Geonbae translates to “empty glass” which has the same meaning as the expression “bottom’s up.” The name is quite apt because here, you and your friends can eat and drink to the good times.

Last year, I had lunch at the Geonbae branch in the Tomas Morato area together with my officemates, during which we took advantage of a Buy 3 Get 1 Deal on its Php499 set. Then, I praised Geonbae’s ambiance, variety of offerings, great service and value for money.

After taking part in a Zomato Foodie Meetup at the same Geonbae branch, I’m happy to report on some new things for K-BBQ fans to enjoy.

1) A hyped up Php649 set

With the Php649 set (50% off for kids 10 years old and younger), you can eat your fill of:

9 kinds of appetizers: includes buldak (chicken) kimbap, yachae (vegetable) kimbap, fried and steamed manju, japchae, tteokbokki (spicy rice cakes), kimchi takoyaki as well as yoen yeo (salmon sashimi) and chamchi (tuna sashimi)

11 Entrees: includes saewoo twigim (shrimp fry), galbi jjim (beef stew), ramyeon (Korean ramen), bibimbap, chicken bibimbap, salmon bibimbap, spicy salmon ramen and Korean wings.

Soups and stews: includes doenjang jigae (seafood stew), kimchi jigae (kimchi stew) and galbitang (beef rib stew)

Side dishes: includes odeng (fish cake), pajeon (green onions pancake), hobak jeon (pumpkin pancake), gyeran jim (steamed egg), napa kimchi, gamja jurim (potato marble), myulchi bokkeum, lettuce, kimchi bokkeunbap (kimchi fried rice), bap (plain rice) and cheese for dipping

21 kinds of meat: includes samgyeopsal (pork belly), spicy yakiniku samgyeopsal, ginger samgyeopsal, gochujang samgyeopsal, smoked pork belly, spicy yakiniku pork ribs, spicy yakiniku moksal, herb pork jowl, herb pork belly, pork bulgogi, pork intestine, sausage, woo samgyeop (beef belly), oyster woo samgyeop, gochujang woosamgyeop, chadolbaegi (beef brisket), galbisal (rib finger), oyster hoshisal (hanger steak), beef bulgogi, ginger chicken breast and assorted odeng.

The Php649 set (maximum of 3 hours staying time) is available for dinner Fridays to Sundays from 3pm onwards. Price is exclusive of VAT. Leftovers will be charged Php649.

2) A high-tech ordering and requesting system

When dining at unli Korean BBQ places, you sometimes get frustrated at the slow fulfillment of refill requests or changing of grills, right?

Well, not here. By connecting to Geonbae’s WiFi network and scanning the QR code provided per table, you get redirected to an online menu of dishes and refills, as well as service requests such as “change charcoal,” “change grill” and “check out.”

As soon as you select the dish or service you require, a wait staff immediately comes along to fulfill your request.

Pretty nifty, huh?

3) The entrance to a hidden bar

At Geonbae’s dining area, you will see a doorway marked with a neon sign. This door is the entryway to Alibi, a speakeasy where you can enjoy cool tunes, refreshing cocktails, yummy bar chow, and get this: an oyster bar!

Japan’s MOS Burger aims to take a bite out of the PH fast food market, opens first store on February 27

In a market dominated by western-style burgers, MOS Burger will introduce a distinctly Japanese flavor to burger-loving Filipinos as it opens its first branch in the Philippines this February 27, 2020 in Robinsons Galleria.

“We heard that Filipinos love burgers as much as they love Japanese food. In introducing MOS Burger to the Philippines, we are giving them two of the things that they most love. We can’t wait for them to try our Japanese-style burgers,” said MOS Burger Philippines president Araki Masahide.

During a pop-up store event last month, MOS Burger introduced its version of a signature cheese burger with meat sauce and the original yakiniku rice burger. Some of the items on the menu for the first Philippine branch are the following: yakiniku rice burger, MOS cheese burger, wagyu burger, seafood tempura rice burger, and natsumi, a lettuce wrap burger.

As a way to welcome the dining public to its first store in the country, MOS Burger will give out gifts to its first 50 customers on opening day. In-store surprises also await customers every hour on February 27. The store’s operating hours will be from 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM.

Founded in Tokyo in 1972, MOS Burger is ranked number two in sales among all burger chains in Japan. It has around 1,300 stores in Japan and almost 400 stores overseas.

MOS stands for mountain, ocean, and sun—three elements that symbolize the company’s commitment to good service and how it trains its employees to approach their work. The mountain symbolizes its thrust to “stand tall and firm as a mountain.” The ocean, meanwhile, symbolizes its aim “to have a heart as big and generous as the ocean”, and the sun stands for “undying passion.”

MOS Burger also adheres to the old Japanese proverb “ishoku dogen”, which means food and medicine come from the same source so we could maintain our health through a balanced diet.

MOS Burger Philippines was formed in 2019 to oversee the local operations of MOS Burger. The company is the result of a joint venture agreement between MOS Food Services Inc. of Japan and Tokyo Coffee Holdings of the Young family of General Milling Corporation.

Its aggressive expansion plan in the Philippines will see the opening of several branches in Metro Manila this year. Apart from the one in Robinsons Galleria, MOS Burger stores will be opened in SM Megamall in Mandaluyong, One Eastwood Tower 2 and Robinsons Magnolia in Quezon City, O-Square in Greenhills, San Juan, and Robinsons Manila.

For more updates about MOS Burger Philippines’ opening, follow its Facebook page and Instagram account.

Image and details provided by MOS Burger in a recent press release.

Sweets to the sweet from Inang Charing

Everyone who knows me is probably already familiar with my sweet tooth.

I’ve always had a strong affinity for desserts: cakes, cookies and creams. My belief is that there’s always room for dessert. In fact, the dessert at the end is what I usually look forward during meal time.

And the sweet treats from Inang Charing’s are definitely worth the anticipation.

Former BPO employee Mylene Capili had a love for sweets and a skill for baking. Dreaming of having her own cafe someday, she studied Hotel and Restaurant Management in college.

When she was gifted with an oven, her passion for baking was rekindled.

Her first foray into the baking business began in 2013 under the name Dress Up Brownies, with her lucky BPO coworkers as her first customers. They were the first to get a taste her revel bars and brownies. In a burst of inspiration, Mylene and her partner offered dressed-up brownies, bars custom-decorated similar to cupcakes according to their customers’ request.

Her drive for both her job and her side business was challenged a year later when her grandmother, who raised her and her siblings, passed away. She resigned from her job to focus on Dress Up Brownies but her grief over her grandmother’s passing contributed to her business going on hiatus for two years.

A big order for her mini chocolate chip cookies for her sister’s high school reunion in 2018 spurred her to revive her business.

Wanting to pay tribute to her beloved grandmother, she rebranded her business, adopting the name her grandmother was called by neighbors when she was growing up: Inang Charing.

Thus, Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries came into being.

With her grandmother serving as her inspiration, she was motivated to create more baked goods for people to love.

Today, she operates Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries with her partner, Bem, who oversees sales, marketing and procurement of ingredients, while she handles the baking and pricing of the finished products.

They expanded their product line from brownies, revel bars and custom pastries to include cookies, cakes and cheesecakes, some of which I was able to sample.

The Triple-Flavored Cheesecake (Php785) presents three mouth-watering toppings on a three-inch tall cheesecake. The cheesecake itself is rich and compact, mildly sweet with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Its toppings of Mango, Blueberry and Nutella add different dimensions to the dessert. Also available are single-flavor (Php735) and double-flavor (Php755) variants.

The Chocolate Truffle Liquor Cake (Php265), on the other hand, is a decadent 5-inch diameter confection of layers upon layers of chocolate goodness. A moist chocolate cake flavored with chocolate liquor serves as the base layer covered by a thick and creamy ganache and a generous sprinkling with cocoa powder.

Lastly, the Salted White Chocolate Almond Cookies (Php50/pc) are delightful treats with complex flavors and textures owing to the white chocolate chips and toasted almonds scattered on top of moist and chewy cookies.

So if you’re looking for a showstopping cake for your party or just want to stock up on desserts to give your meals a wonderful ending, check out Inang Charing’s Cakes and Pastries.

Many thanks to Mylene for these scrumptious sweets.

To get your hands on these and more from Inang Charing’s, course your orders through its Facebook page or Instagram account with a three-day lead time and pay via BPI bank deposit a day before the delivery.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to enable an honest review.

Check out my blog posts on other small enterprises and startups in the food business:

Gerry’s Grill, restaurant and bar pioneer turns 23

What comes to mind when one thinks of the number 23? Is it Michael Jordan, the G.O.A.T. of basketball? Is it the age of real adulting for some, a point in one’s life where he realizes he’s a full-grown adult with all the responsibilities that come with being one?

For Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar, more widely known as Gerry’s Grill, the number marks the years it has successfully catered to the discriminating palate of the Filipino people. Twenty-three years ago, on February 14, 1997, the first Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar opened its doors on Tomas Morato, Quezon City. And the dining landscape has never been the same since. Gerry’s Grill pioneered the resto-bar concept that continues to appeal to the Gen X, its original clients, as it does the Millennials of today. Many have followed suit but Gerry’s maintains its uniqueness for a good number of reasons.

Touted as among the few preferred go-to restaurant–bars in the metro, Gerry’s boasts of over a hundred stores thus deserving to be called the “sari-sari store” of resto-bars by virtue of its being found in every major dining and entertainment hub in Metro Manila. And in each branch, one is surely never short changed.

Gerry’s has proven time and again to withstand food fads like the grill wars, i.e., shawarma, samgyupsal (Korean Grill), lechon manok/baboy and numerous experimental and fusion cuisines. This means that their Filipino-themed menu has become ingrained in the food psyche of Filipinos, a tradition no less. Their variety of dishes and beverages represents the whole Philippine cuisine. Its flavorful Sizzling Sisig, Beef Kare-Kare and Inihaw na Pusit have been legendary food staples at every Filipino customer’s dining table. The rest of the menu caters to almost any craving.

Even the beer gulping culture of the country has been shaped and influenced by Gerry’s Grill being a top-of-mind watering hole through the years. Its wide food selection is considered the holy grail of pulutans (hors d’oeuvres) that is perfect for inumans (benders).

Bert Santos, an engineer, waxed nostalgic when he said that he literally grew up with Gerry’s Grill as his tambayan (bar/beer joint) for unwinding during his college years. Today, Gerry’s is a favorite lunch place for his family after hearing Sunday mass. While Buddy Sanchez, a doctor, said Gerry’s holds a special place in his heart because this was where he bonded with his work buddies after a stressful day and where he eventually met his future wife, Sally.

Gerry’s has recently opened its branches in San Diego, California and Houston, Texas, a good addition to its overseas chain which includes branches in Singapore, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Avenida, a modern Filipino restaurant and bar, inspired by the Avenida Rizal (Rizal Avenue) of the post-war era, is another Gerry’s Grill-owned restaurant that opened in San Mateo, California. With these developments, our overseas kababayans have every reason to celebrate Gerry’s 23 years of great food and great service.

Craving for sumptuous food after reading this? Go to the nearest Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar branch; visit www.gerrysgrill.com.ph to view the complete list of their branches, as well as all the food entries on their 2020 menu. You can also visit their Facebook page, @gerrysgrill.com.ph for more info.

Details and images provided in a recent press release.

The Jelly List: Top Metro Manila Restaurants for your Valentine’s Day Date

What? It’s Valentine’s Day tomorrow you haven’t decided on where to take your beloved yet?!?

Oh, honey…

Let your Tita Jellybeans share with you my top picks among the metro’s restaurants to serve as the romantic setting for your intimate get-together for two.

How did I come by this list? Well, to narrow down the choices, here are the criteria I used:

The resto should be away from the madding crowd so it can sustain an intimate and romantic mood. I recommend establishments situated away from the crowded malls frenetic with the Valentine’s Day (and payday) rush.
The resto should have well-appointed interiors, because special moments deserve special settings.
Most importantly, the resto should offer great food. I’m sure you know that food is oftentimes used as the language of love (it is one of mine!). Nourishing our beloveds with something that pleases their senses makes for a memorable time together. (And if the resto has a special Valentine’s Day offer, all the better.

Valentine’s Day is the time to go all-out on romance and spoil that special someone with good food and a good time. Check out the restos that made it to this month’s Jelly List for your date on Valentine’s Day.

Bistro Manuel, Poblacion

Bistro Manuel was opened in 2016 by Chefs Ariel and Mia Manuel of Lolo Dad’s. It is a quiet establishment, almost hidden being situated away from Poblacion’s more casual (and noisier) bars and restaurants.

Here, diners can look forward to a fine-dining experience featuring award-winning culinary masterpieces.

A real treat to the taste buds is the Lolo Dad’s Baked Oysters in which each oyster is accompanied by delicate angel hair pasta under a layer of melted cheese, and accompanied with a cube of foie gras.

This week, diners can enjoy a special five-course Valentine’s menu featuring the resto’s signature takes on European cuisine for just Php1,980 per person (+10% service charge).

Bistro Manuel is located at Second Floor, Six Axis Center, 4347 B. Valdez Street, Poblacion, Makati City, open daily from 11am to 2pm and from 6pm to 11pm. For inquiries and reservations, call +63 2 88718566, +63 926 7341067 or +63 998 3423566.

GrabFood unveils the first GrabKitchen in the Philippines

It is the best of times; it is the worst of times to be a foodie.

It is the best because of the sheer number of dining choices and cuisines available in the metro.

It is the worst because all these infernal traffic jams deter people from making the trip to explore new restaurants or discover new favorites.

Well, mobile app-based delivery services GrabFood have proved to be a boon to Metro Manila’s dining public by eliminating the need to traverse the city’s congested streets just to dine out. Thanks to GrabFood, a whole slew of cuisines can be delivered to be enjoyed by consumers wherever they are.

Today, GrabFood introduced another innovation: the first ever GrabKitchen in the country.

GrabKitchen offers users in a particular geography a variety of curated food selections from one central kitchen. By leveraging data from historical orders to address cuisine gaps, and working with its merchant partners who want to expand their delivery footprint, GrabKitchen bridges consumer demand and availability of food selections. For merchant partners and MSMEs, GrabKitchen is a cost-efficient way to expand the geographic area they serve and reach more consumers using technology. Cloud kitchens can also lower the cost of operations by eliminating high capital investments like rental costs, which is one of the most expensive expensive expansion constraints for merchant partners.

Bringing together some of the most sought-after food brands, and the ability to mix-and-match orders, GrabFood through its GrabKitchen innovation is guaranteed to make group ordering more exciting.

Together with my fellow foodies, I witnessed the grand opening of the country’s first GrabKitchen in Glorietta 2, featuring its merchant partners Omakase, Mister Kabab, 24 Chicken, Recovery Food and Frank & Dean – all of which do not have a physical store in Makati City, and CoCo Fresh Tea & Juice that has seen a significant increase in sales, prompting it to expand its delivery-only operations in GrabKitchen.

The Philippines’ first GrabKitchen offers on-demand delivery and in-store dining through a unique digital experience via a self-order kiosk. GrabFood users who order through the app will also be able to mix and match orders from all partner merchants.

To support more shared moments, exclusive food bundles as Awesome Twosome Bun-deal offer, which has 24 Chicken’s Boneless 7 pieces chicken, Coco Fresh Tea & Juice’s 3 Buddies Milk Tea and Omakase’s California Maki are also available for online delivery for a limited time.

Consumers can also score discounts on all GrabKitchen bundles by using promo codes GKBUNDEAL60 and GKBUNDEAL100 from February 12 to 29.

GrabKitchen was first introduced in Indonesia in 2018 and has since become the largest regional cloud kitchens operator in Southeast Asia. GrabKitchen has over 50 branches in Southeast Asia, including Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Singapore and the Philippines.

During GrabKitchen’s grand opening, GrabFood Head EJ Dela Vega shared some of the company’s plans for this new venture.

“Within the next six months, hopefully, we can do two to three more. We are definitely working on opening a few more locations,” he shared. “We want to go where the demand is, where we can fulfill, where we see the gaps in what people are looking for versus what’s available.”

Mindful of the important role that food plays in bringing more shared moments, GrabFood, through its campaign called ‘Masarap ‘pag sama-sama,’ offers consumers a more accessible and affordable way to enjoy group dining.

This season of love, GrabFood has partnered with 150 merchant partners to offer specially-curated food deals, as well as additional Php100 discount for orders purchased using GrabPay. Just use the promo code SAMASAMA before checking out. (More details on the promo are available here.)

Grab is the leading everyday super app in Southeast Asia, providing everyday services that matter most to consumers. Today, the Grab app has been downloaded onto over 166 million mobile devices, giving users access to over 9 million drivers, merchants and agents. Grab offers the widest range of on-demand transport services in the region, in addition to food, package delivery, digital payments and financial services, across 339 cities in eight Southeast Asian countries.

GrabKitchen details provided in a press release.

Alibi, Tomas Morato

No need to wrack your brain for an excuse to have a night out with friends at the end of the work week at this newest bar in Tomas Morato.

Tucked discreetly in the basement of a converted house along Scout Delgado Street in the Tomas Morato area, Alibi is reason enough to chill out with your crew as you enjoy your favorite cocktail and bar chow.

But just in case you need to justify your night out for the Third Inquisition when you get home, you might want to mention how irresistible these are:

One: Tasty bar chow for a serious case of the munchies.

Chase away your hunger with these bar chows:

Tuna Sashimi and Salmon Sashimi (Php275 each).

Salpicao (Php250). Cubes of hanger steak sauteed in roasted garlic and served with mushrooms and cherry tomatoes.

Country-Style Fried Chicken (Php200), Juicy pieces of chicken tenders, breaded and deep-fried to a golden brown and served with gravy.

Baby Back Ribs (Php250). Succulent grilled pork ribs coated in barbecue sauce and served with a tangy coleslaw on the side.

Alibi Fries (Php190). Deep-fried thick-cut fries served with cheese and katsu sauces and topped with bonito flakes.

Mini Sausage (Php150). Sausages cut in bite-size pieces.

Pork Sisig (Php250). The classic Pinoy appetizer made of minced pork pieces sauteed in calamansi, onions and chilis.

Oyster Sisig (Php290). Alibi’s fresh take on the staple dish using oysters in the place or pork. Wow! (More on Alibi’s oyster offerings later.)

Two: Exciting cocktails to try.

Drink to a well-deserved weekend break with Alibi’s signature concoctions.

Lychee Mojito (Php145). Made with lychee, mint leaves and rum.

Tomato Quila (Php145). Made with tomatoes, pear juice and Jinro Grapefruit Soju.

Hello Kiwi (Php145). Made with kiwi, aloe vera, absinthe and soda.

Yakuroto Vodka (Php165). Made with cherry, peach vodka and Yakult.

Three: An oyster bar. ‘Nuff said!

Fresh Aklan oysters, whether plain, topped with Miso Bechamel or Pesto sauce, yours for Php50 apiece.

Who wouldn’t want to take a decadent taste of the sea with these glorious Philippine oysters?

So, go ahead. Take a long-awaited breather for the weekend. Hang out with your friends. You’ve already got your Alibi.

Alibi is located at 115 Scout Delgado Street, Barangay Sacred Heart, Quezon City, open Thursdays to Saturdays, from 7pm to 3am.

Disclosure: Together with my fellow foodies, I was invited to join a foodie meetup held at this restaurant. Food items mentioned here were served to allow us to sample the fare and were not paid for by the attendees, including myself.

An afternoon learning to cook at Center for Asian Culinary Studies

Being a foodie, I appreciate good food.

More than that, I appreciate the expertise and effort that goes into the preparation, cooking and serving up of exceptional dishes.

While we diners get to eat our meal while enjoying the restaurant’s ambiance and good service, there are more that goes on backstage – or what is commonly called the kitchen.

That is what Chef Gene Gonzalez and his team at the Center for Asian Culinary Studies (CACS) seek to train their charges for: how to cope with the chaos inside the kitchen to produce delicious, visually-appealing and restaurant-quality fare.

Well, what about those who just want to cook for themselves or their families?

Recently, my foodie friends and I were treated to a fun sneak peek into the goings-on inside restaurant kitchen by no less than Chef Gene himself in a recreational hands-on cooking session called “A Simple Japanese Meal” especially designed for home cooks like my friends and relative kitchen newbies like me.

Aside from sharing his easy-to-follow recipes for Ebi Tempura, California and Tuna Maki, Sukiyaki and Wakame Soup, Chef Gene also imparted to us some tips and tricks-of-the-trade, such as:

How to stretch the tiger shrimp into really long tempura. When I used to try to cook ebi tempura at home, the shrimp gets all curled up. To counter this tendency, Chef Gene taught us to make five knife cuts along the shrimp’s belly, then pinch the shrimp’s back until we feel a crunch so that the shrimp lies prone on the cutting board before we dip it in flour and batter.

How to make tempura really crunchy. While deep-frying the battered shrimps, dip a bouquet stick into the tempura batter and drizzle over the shrimp. Doing this will produce those pretty golden flakes.

What kind of sushi mat is best for sushi making at home. Plastic sushi mats are best for home use because bamboo mats require a lot of care (such as extensive washing and bleaching) to avoid mold growth. (Fortunately, I found plastic sushi mats at the Daiso store near my office the following week.)

How to properly prepare and serve Sukiyaki. It’s best to grill the shredded beef in butter prior to placing it in the pot on top of the vegetables. When the Sukiyaki is cooked, serve the freshly cracked egg on the side and use it as a dip for the beef while enjoying the soup. (Believe me, it tastes so good!)

These are just some of the things that will make cooking an enjoyable and rewarding experience for home cooks and foodies.

Thanks to Chef Gene and Princess of the Center for Asian Culinary Studies for the invitation!

CACS offers Premier Recreational Programs targeting homemakers, home business owners and professionals where they can learn from the country’s best chefs during unique, value-for-money classes and workshops.

For companies who would like their employees to have fun while while going through challenges in the kitchen and developing teamwork, CACS also offers customized team building and group sessions.

For more details on these programs, visit the CACS website or call +63 2 87255089 to book a free tour.

The Center for Asian Culinary Studies is located at 175 M. Paterno Street, Barangay Pasadena, San Juan City (inside the Cafe Ysabel compound).

Come see what Sammy’s Cookin’

Craving for a sweet treat? Need to bring something to the office potluck? Or want to send a thoughtful and delicious gift?

Well, Chef Sammy’s cookin’ up something absolutely amazing for you!

Chef Sammy Isidro, the singing chef who masterminds the kitchen of Sammy’s Restaurant in Cainta, also whips up yummy desserts under the brand Sammy’s Cookin‘.

Chef Sammy developed his culinary chops in between singing gigs at the Hotel Mulia, a five-star hotel in Jakarta, Indonesia, where he and his wife Dorothy worked as professional singers for over 17 years.

Upon their return to the Philippines, they put up their own restaurant – Sammy’s in Cainta – where they serve up tasty Indonesian-inspired dishes as well as serenade guests with a song or two after every meal.

Chef Sammy also set up another line of business – Sammy’s Cookin’ – to provide catering services as well as deliver cakes, pastries and other sweets to foodies within Metro Manila.

This also extends the reach of his cuisine well beyond the vicinity and operating hours of his restaurant.

Here is a sampling of the treats you can order from Sammy’s Cookin.’

Banana Bread (Php300/loaf). This seems to be a staple among bakers, professional or otherwise. Chef Sammy, of course, goes well beyond the rudimentary bread and gives you a loaf of pure scrumptiousness. Unpack and slice it and the smell of banana and vanilla will waft to your nostrils. Bite into the moist bread and you will taste the burst of sweet banana flavor in your mouth. Truth be told, I can finish the entire loaf by myself in one seating. (My daughter #ExhibitA would insist on helping me in this endeavor. Quite unnecessarily, I might add.) Still, in the off- off-chance, this banana bread doesn’t get wolfed down as soon as it reaches you, it keeps for seven days at room temperature and for three months in the freezer. (Why keep it in the freezer, though? Banana Bread, get into mah belly!)

Coffee Choco Brownies (Php420/ 16 squares). Anybody who knows me knows I’m mad for coffee and chocolates. Imagine my joy whenever I have an opportunity to enjoy both! These brownies exude a mild aroma of coffee, just enough to perk up the attention of a true blue coffee lover. There’s an ultra-thin crusty topmost layer that, when bitten into, gives way to a chewy chocolatey brownie with chocolate nuggets here and there adding some texture to every bite. I shared some squares with Hubby and these yummies definitely have his vote. Similar to the banana bread, this keeps at room temperature for seven days and in the freezer for three months.

Choco Cheese Martabak Manis (Php355/order). I’m really having trouble describing this because I can’t quite grasp how intensely it appeals to me. Another food obsession of mine is cheese, and guess what: this dish has cheese. The cheese that adds a salty dimension to an otherwise sweet stuffed pancake flavored by chocolate, crushed peanuts and condensed milk. I had my first taste of this dessert at Sammy’s Restaurant and I have not forgotten it. You would be hard-pressed to stop at just one or two pieces (or three or four or ten!). Other variants of martabak manis available are Chocolate-Only (Php205/order) and Cheese-Only (Php245/order). This keeps at room temperature for two to three days, but, personally, it won’t last that long in my home. Even my picky eater son likes this!

There are lots more available to order at Sammy’s Cookin.’ To get your hands on these desserts and delicacies, just call +63 939 1483960 or course your orders through its Facebook or Instagram pages at least two days before you need them.

Sammy’s Cookin’ accepts payments via BPI or BDO and can deliver to anywhere in the metro via Grab or Lalamove (delivery fee to be shouldered by the customer).

You may also opt to pick your orders up at Sammy’s Restaurant from 10am to 5pm. It is located at 14 Raspberry Bend Street, Valley View Executive Subdivision Phase 3, San Juan, Cainta.

So the next time you want to treat yourself, or your nears-and-dears, to something sweet and delish, do check out what Sammy’s Cookin.’

Many thanks to Chef Sammy and Dorothy for these yummy treats.

Disclosure: Product samples were provided to enable an honest review.

Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar, SM Pasig

You’ve probably heard of cold brew coffee but what about nitrogen-infused cold brew coffee?

Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar is the first of its kind in the country, operating on a new technology in coffee and tea preparation.

At Nitro 7, single-origin Ethiopians arabica coffee beans are brewed in low temperature for 18 hours, then infused with nitrogen before being served on tap, similar to draft beer. The entire painstaking process from brewing your Nitro 7 coffee to serving it to you takes two days.

Cold brewing the coffee increases its caffeine content while lessening its acidity, making this the preferred coffee of people suffering from hyperacidity.

Infusing it with nitrogen, on the other hand, reduces the coffee’s bitter taste while thickening its texture and adding some milk sweetness to the brew. The result: the Black Nitro, Nitro 7’s signature black coffee which also serves as the base for its other coffee flavors.

Thanks to GCs I received during the epic #WLTEChristmas Party and also from Harvard of AlwaysHungryPH, I was able to treat my daughter and myself to a coffee break at the Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar in SM Pasig.

There we enjoyed some of the coffee bar’s more Irish creme-based variants:

Irish Creme Breve (Php145). A creamy blend of nutty, chocolate, vanilla and whiskey flavors.

Irish Caramel Creme Nitroccino (Php170). An ice-blended coffee which mixes the flavors of Irish creme and the sweet richness of caramel.

We also treated ourselves to some desserts available at the store such as the New York Cheesecake (Php135), two pieces of Crinkles (Php35 each) and a Revel Bar (Php55).

The desserts are good accompaniments to the coffee drinks which remain the stars of the show.

This Nitro 7 Coffee & Tea Bar branch is located at Ground Floor, SM Center Pasig, Frontera Drive, Barangay Ugong, Pasig City, open daily from 11am to 10pm.

Other branches are located at:

Makati: Food Choices Third Floor Glorietta 4
Mandaluyong: Fourth Floor SM Megamall Building B, 123 Pioneer Street Highway Hills
Manila: Third Floor Robinsons Place Manila, Ground Floor LA Village at Youniversity Suites Sampaloc
Quezon City: Lower Ground Floor Robinsons Magnolia, Level 1 Robinsons Galleria, Lower Ground Floor SM City Fairview, The Annex SM City North EDSA, Eastwood Citywalk 1 Libis
Pasig: 2nd Floor Ayala Malls the 30th, Cinema Level Ayala Malls Feliz, Emerald Mansion Garnet Road
Valenzuela: Mezzanine Floor Pond Building